This and That

I may start writing more than once a week, because so much happens, and when I sit down to write a blog entry, I have too much to say. This leads to either long posts, which I can guess many don't read, or I leave some things out, and who wants that, right?

RETI
I got my second retightening with my consultant in Houston on this past Thursday. It took her only 3.5 hours. There was no complaining....only positiveness. I am thankful I found someone who appreciates that I have smaller-than-normal Sisterlocks and who is skilled and fair in price. When I thought about it, the money I gave one person in town to retighten my hair was MORE than it cost me to put gas in my car to drive round-trip to Houston, pay the lady, give an optional tip for services, AND eat on the way and back. Wow! I thought it would be a hassle to drive 2 hours just for a reti, but it isn't bad at all. The drive is easy, a straight shot, and my sanity and confidence are intact. I do still plan to take the retightening class offered in Dallas in Septbember by Sisterlocks.com. I intend to alternate between doing my own retightenings and getting them done in Houston.

COMPLIMENTS
I have made a conscious effort to notice women's hair and compliment them when I think their hair looks great....especially when they are wearing a natural style. We do so much fighting and back and forth with our natural hair, and our individual journeys are each a struggle in their own ways, and in some ways initially it may take a lot of adjustment to go from wearing relaxers to wearing natural hair....and not to mention that there are those who make negative comments about natural hair.....and us women deserve to be complimented and encouraged when we look nice! Just the other day, I complimented a woman wearing a short afro in Wal-mart. She was so surprised and yet she started smiling. Let's encourage each other, ladies!

HOW DO OTHERS SEE MY HAIR?
When I first got Sisterlocks, I could not walk a block without getting a compliment on my hair. I couldn't believe it. Everywhere I turned someone was asking about my Sisterlocks, and I was always referring them to my consultant in DC for consultations (I lived in DC at the time). At some point, the compliments stopped, which is fine :)  My ego is intact because I can appreciate my hair even when no one else does or says so. But just the other day, someone I know who wears natural stopped me to explain that they have been trying to get their natural hair to come out like mine because it is so beautiful, and they can never get the curls that I have. She said she just concluded that I had a texturizer and gave up trying to get the style. She and I both laughed when I told her I had Sisterlocks. She said "No wonder I could never get it right!" I went ahead and told her about Sisterlocks since she kept the compliments coming. Later, when I thought about the situation again, she made me wonder, do women even know I have Sisterlocks? Or do the women I see think I have some sort of mousse in my hair or texturizer? I have even been asked at times whether I have braids. I wonder have other women with Sisterlocks had this same experience.